Local NewsNovember 10, 2007

Mary Ellen Gorham

Who is the meanest person you know? If you can't come up with an answer, let me name a good candidate. He or she is the thief that stole RJ, a 1 1/2-year-old orange Netherland Dwarf rabbit just after it won a blue ribbon at the Western Washington Fair in Puyallup.

A 13-year-old member of the Bunny Bunch 4-H rabbit club in Vancouver, Wash., had raised RJ since it was born. After the judging, the boy took a break to have a snack in the back of the barn, thinking his rabbit was safe in its cage. What a shock to return to the empty cage.

Question: Describe a Netherland Dwarf rabbit. Answer: This rabbit is small with a 2 1/2 pound weight limit, the standard for a show rabbit. Some of the breed that are just pets weigh a bit more. A Netherland Dwarf rabbit has an overly large head, big bright eyes and disproportionately small ears. With a short, plush coat, this dwarf rabbit looks like a baby even when it is old. The stolen rabbit was orange but this rabbit comes in over 20 colors.

Question: This rabbit is called a Netherland Dwarf. Did its ancestors from Holland? Answer: The United States imported them from the Netherlands but Poland should get the credit. Very small wild rabbits were bred with

Polish rabbits in the early 1900s and eventually the offspring of these rabbits became the dwarf rabbits we see today.

It wasn't until 1948 that the Netherland Dwarf rabbits were brought to England and these rabbits did not show up in the U.S. until the 1960s.

Because some of their ancestors were wild rabbits, the rabbits had aggressive personalities. Today these traits have disappeared and these rabbits make good pets.

Question: Can you describe the personalities of Netherland Dwarf rabbits?

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Answer: These small rabbits appear sweet and cuddly and in general, they are gentle. However, owners should remember that they are easily stressed and they are not good pets for small children.

Most rabbits are fairly passive but the Netherland Dwarfs tend to be much more active. They are curious and like to investigate their surroundings and are not above letting a person know they are unhappy with a quick nip.

Question: Does a Netherland Dwarf rabbit have to be kept in the house?

Answer: Not at all. This breed of rabbit can live in an outdoor cage but the cage should have a good protection from the weather. It is important to have a nesting box where the rabbit can hide from the world and to have a litter box so the cage floor will remain clean.

Question: Does this rabbit need a special diet?

Answer: Rabbit pellets and hay are a good diet for the Netherland Dwarf rabbits. Too many treats of fresh greens may give them diarrhea and alfalfa has too much protein which could cause problems. It is important that their diet be consistent.

Mary Ellen Gorham is a Pullman pet fancier who writes a weekly column.

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